Supporting Our International and Immigrant Bruins

For over a year now, immigrant communities on our campus and across the nation have struggled with uncertainty as ongoing debate in Washington threatens and leaves unresolved the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. At the same time, our international students and colleagues have been subjected to travel bans that predominantly target Muslims. We have also learned that some in our campus community are being impacted by the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.

At the same time, our international students and colleagues have been subjected to travel bans that predominantly target Muslims. We have also learned that some in our campus community are being impacted by the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.

Amid the understandable anxiety of this political climate, we want to remind our immigrant and international students, staff and faculty that UCLA values your presence, recognizes your contributions, embraces your aspirations and is committed to supporting you.

Regardless of your status, UCLA is dedicated to nurturing an inclusive community in which we support everyone’s right to live, learn, work and pursue the American dream free from fear or discrimination. In fact, leaders across the UC system have been vocal in their opposition to the travel ban, and President Napolitano and the Regents have sued the federal government to prevent it from ending DACA — a program President Napolitano helped create. On our own campus, the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Immigration Policy has been hard at work recommending practical strategies to ensure we remain an open and welcoming campus for all.

Despite President Trump’s previous call for DACA to expire today, March 5, the program currently remains in effect while courts consider legal challenges to the efforts to end it. This means, for now, that the federal government must continue to accept renewal applications for the DACA program. We strongly encourage all eligible members of the UCLA community to renew and take advantage of free legal assistance as needed from the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center.

We urge all of you who need this support to seek it out. You are all valued members of our community and your presence is important. We will face these difficult times together, as we always do: as a community. And as Bruins.

Sincerely,

Gene D. Block

Chancellor

Abel Valenzuela Jr.

Professor and Special Assistant to the Chancellor on Immigration Policy